Speaking before representatives of labor groups, President
Rodrigo Duterte has given the country’s oligarchs three months to return lands
owned by the government which they have controlled for so long or people will
occupy them.

President Duterte gave permission for the people to take
over lands which he said belong to the public.

“So within the next three months, I will tell owners of the
land which hold government land that don’t pay taxes, amounting to billions,
and then you manage government land which you earn from and which no one knows
why they’re in your hands in the first place,” Duterte said.

“If you don’t return government land, then I will ask the
Filipino people to occupy the lands that are in your hands. That’s Makati,
Pasay—you look for a good place there,” Duterte added.

Recently, the President criticized the Prieto family, which
has a majority stake in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

He said the Prietos must return to the government the Mile
Long/Creekside property and also pay the P1.5 billion in taxes over the
operations of their Dunkin Donuts franchise.